Libo Stinky Acid

Last updated 2026-11-13 — Stinky Acid, also known as Ugly Acid, is the most distinctive dish in Libo County. Just as the north has stinky tofu that is “smelly to smell but delicious to eat,” Libo’s Stinky Acid not only smells foul and looks unappetizing, but also has an unrefined name. However, it has a unique charm that makes people “fall in love at first bite and keep eating non-stop.” The stinky acid dish is slightly sour, with an extraordinary aroma, and is extremely appetizing, which is why it is very popular among diners. The method of making Stinky Acid involves first preparing a “starter”—cooking meat or fish, letting it cool, and then placing it in a jar, sealing it tightly. After about a month, the starter is ready, and the older it is, the more fragrant it becomes. To cook the Stinky Acid dish, simply scoop out a small bowl of the Stinky Acid “starter,” combine it with a small pot of meat or other ingredients, and cook them together. As the heat rises, the aroma of the Stinky Acid spreads. Outsiders who smell it might say it’s “not so great,” but those who have eaten Stinky Acid before will find their mouths watering. To maintain the quantity of the Stinky Acid “starter,” after scooping out a portion, a small bowl of the newly cooked Stinky Acid dish must be taken out before eating, cooled, and then poured back into the Stinky Acid jar. To ensure high-quality Stinky Acid “starter” and delicious, fragrant results when cooking the dish, three points should be noted: First, use more meat when making the “starter”; second, once a month, pour out all the “starter,” reboil it in a pot, let it cool, and then put it back into the jar; third, pay attention to sealing and hygiene—always keep water in the jar’s rim to prevent it from drying out, and frequently change the water to maintain cleanliness. The history of Libo Stinky Acid is unclear, but there is currently a Stinky Acid “starter” in Libo County that is over a hundred years old.